Mr. West on Wednesday withdrew a Bill which will one
day be quoted as evidence of the social system of England in 1870. lie wanted to abolish the power of churchwardens to allot seats in churches, and so to make every seat everybody's, or at least every parishioner's. The House was quite startled and interested, and he was told from all sides that our society was not yet prepared for such a change. Even Mr. Beresford Hope agreed that it could not be done, and admitted that the vicar of a chapel-of-ease dared not let a prominent sitting to servants iu livery. Ile would empty his chapel. . We believe, disgraceful as we consider the fact, that Mr. Beresford Hope is right, and that in the county towns more especially, a really democratic system in our churches would empty them. There is uo cause which breeds quarrel so venomous or so enduring as the allotment of seats, and if none were allotted, respectable, steady-going old church people would, we believe, stay away while they lived, We must wait, and wait long, for in New York, in the most popular churches, the seats are annually put up to auction. .1n Catholic countries all pray together, but in Protestant countries " respectability" is a religious, and quite as powerful as the orthodox one.
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